License-plate and sign-display unit



Feb. 3, 1931. JA$|NSK| 1,791,274

LICENSE PLATE AND SIGN DISPLAY UNIT Filed Oct. 8, 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 5 "t J0 //Z r J9 3 60/5 6 l I v 7/? 1/21? for".- flf? draw. Jemima/i1.

Qy m/MW Feb. 3, 1931. Y A. G. JASINSKI 7 LICENSE PLATE AND SIGN DISPLAY UNIT Fi led Oct; 8. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 3, 1931. A. G; JASINSKI LICENSE PLATE AND smn DISPLAY mm Filed Oct. 8, 19.28

4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Ill 4 v? v WW I Feb. 3, 1931. A. G. JASlNSKl LICENSE PLATE AND SIGN DISPLAY UNIT Filed Oct. 8. 1928 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 egg [five/2 far: 047? dra Jasz'rw/fl. j fl/www; mu,

fimAw/MW Patented Feb. 3, 1931 ANDREW G. .msnvsxr, or 'oHIcA'Go, iLLInoIs LICENSE-PLATE AND 's Ien-brsPLAY UNIT Application filed October 8, .1928. Serial no; 311,050.

This invention relates to improvements in license plate units, and particularly to inn,

.provenients in license plate holders and display devices such as are con'nnonly employed 5 on motor vehicles and the like.

it old prior to my invention to arrange an electric lampor group of electric lamps in back of the license plate or sign so that the rays of light will pass through'or around 19 the liccnsenumhers or other characters or matter for display to improve thevisibility thereof, particularly at night. 7

Hereto'lore the devices proposed for accom} plishing this have been relatively compli- 15 cated, expensive and unsuitablefin appearance. These devices have also usually been misuited for use with license. plates or signs of different lengths','and replacement or adjustment, even where possible, has been difiicult. V

I It is an object of the present invention to provide a device of generally improved and simplified construction and pleasing appearance that may be economically produced and conveniently adjusted to license plates or signs of different sizes. Another object is the provision of agenerally improved casing construction permitting convenient replacement 7 and adjust- Onients, and {where desired, convenient adj ustment to plates of difl'erent sizes and an improved reflector structure for utilizing the light rays to greatest advantage and which may be a'djustable with the casing, to plates of different sizes.

The device of the present invention'iscapahle of being applied either asa front or rear license plate unit. \Vh'ere the device is employed at the rear of the vehicle the present invention provides a generally improved and simplified stop and tail light structure combined as a unit therewith, It is tohe understood, of course,.that Where the license plate unit is employed at the'front of the vehicle the stop and tail light structure may be omitted and the license plate. uniteinployed alone, or where this unit is to be en'iployed at the front of the vehicle it may be supple-- mented with a city license plate holder and 50 display device as well as withany other holders anddisplay devices or any desired combination thereof.- The rear license plate unit and tail and stop light combination may 'o-i*'co11rse, be similarly supplemented with My other. holders and dlsplay devices, as desired. ,Now 111 orderto acquaint those skilled 1n the art with the manner of constructing and using a device according to'my present invention, I shall describe the invention. in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich A i Fig. l is a front elevational View of a device embodying theipresent invention. i

Fig. 2 is a top plan view, of the device H shown'i-n Fig.1. 7 I l G F 3 is a horizontal section taken on the 1ine33 Fig.1.v v a Fig. 4 is a vertical sectiontaken on the line F ig. 5 is a fragmentary vertical sectiontaken on line 5-5 Fig. l. a a

Fig. 6 is'a fragmentaryrear elevational' view showing means for fastening the adjustable ends of the casing in place.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary detail section taken on the line 7-7 of Fig. 6. l

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of the main stationary reflector and adjustable 'reflector ends, taken on a reducedscale.

Fig. 9 is a front elevational view similar toFig. l of another embodiment of the invention. y r

Fig, 10 is a top plan view of the einbodiment shown in-Fig. '9. i

Fig. 11 is a vertical section taken on the line 1111 of Fig. 9.

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary vertical section taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 9; and

Figsal ld, 15, 16, 17 and 18 are more'or less diagrammatic front elevational views; all taken on a reduced scale and illustrating various holders and display combinations with the license plate unit of thepresent in vention Whichmay be of the telescoping or stationary type as hereinafter-described.

Referring first to the embodiment of Figs. 1 to. 8, the device illustrated therein C0111- prises a generally rectangular casing 5, whichxcasingfi is composed of an intermediat vCasing P on 6 and-adjustable end Sir portions 7 and 8 having telescopic engagement therewith. The intermediate casing portion 6 has. a back wall 9 with top and bottom walls 10 and 11 turned or extending substantially normal thereto, and the opposite ends of the stationary intermediate casing portions are open as indicated at 12 and 13 in Fig. 3.

Telescoping over these open ends 12 and 13 of the casing portion 6 are the end portions 7 and 8, and each of these end portions 7 and 8 ias an end wall 15 which forms the end walls of the casing and top, bottom and back walls 16, 17 and 18 which snugly surround the top, bottom and back walls of the opposite open ends of the casing portion 6 and have sliding telescopic engagement therewith, I

The bottom wall 11 of the casing portion 6 is provided along the front of the device with an Lip-turned marginal flange 20, and the top of the casing portion 6 may be provided with a similar depending marginal flange 21. The end portions 7 and 8 have similar flanges 2-2 along the front of the top, bottom and endwalls, these flanges 22 forming extendible continuations of the flanges 20 and 21 and serving with the flanges 20 and 21 as a marginal retention frame for the margin or periphery of the license plate 24. lhe license plate 24 is the State license plate which must now be universally displayed at the front and rear of the vehicle, and this plate is preferably of sheet metal with the license numbers 25, State designations 26 and date 27 stenciled therein preferably by cutting out the numbers and other designations as shown, although it to be understood that the designating marks may be left solid and the ield around the same cut out as desired, or the designations or field instead of being entirely out out may be merely line stenc-iled or perforated in, as desired. Y

internally he stationary or central porlion 6 of the hon or casing 5 prm 'ided with suitable spring clips 30 welded or fastened by othemeans along; the Lop, and bottom walls 10 and 11 and adjacent the flanges 20 and 21 for holding the license plate 24 and behind the license plate the glass or other suitable transparent or translucent pane or plate 32 whichcovers the openings forming the numbers and other designations 26 and 27, and prevents the entry o1 dust, water or other foreign matter into the inside of the box or casing At the same time the transparent or translucent plate permits the direct and refiected'rays of'light to pass through the openings and display the licens numbers and other mar zin s clearly and distinctly on the car at all times. V

For the purpose of securing the end portions 7 and 8 firmly in any adjusted position box portion 6 are providerv with wing; bolts or screws 36, the threaded 161115 or shanks or which pass tnr ngrh suitable open1n s in the back walls 18 and have threaded engagement with the heel: walls 9 of the stationary intermediate casing part (3. The places or" thr ,ldGCl enga; nent oi? the threaded shanks 34 with the baclr walls 18 may be thickened and reinforced by pieces 3t 7) welded or otherwise rured to the inner surfaces the back walls 9 and having; threaded engagement with the shanks The openings 35 are ir the form of longs-F tudinall elongated slots, g iermitting extension and retraction of the he ends i and 8, and the winged heads of the bolts or screws 36 are adapted to be drawn up into engagement with the walls 13 i'irmly clamp the box ends in any desired position. The slots 3:) may be close; as shown, and or len is t Ficient to permit the ends 7 and 8 or either 1 said ends to be extended snlliciently to receive the license plate lietn'eei them, whereupon these ends may b closed ogether 1 P, or retracted upon the ends of the plat with the end flanges 22 engaging: over the ends of the license plate as shown, G1" course inste d of the ta screws 33 threaded stems and removable wait: nnts could be employed, and it will be understood that e or bot slots 35 may open from the inner ends of the box ends 7 and 8 to perniit compl of either or both said box ends r sire il.

In use, with one or both of the end portions 7 or 8 extended or remover the license plate 2% and transparent or translucent plate 32 are assembled as shown in Figs. 3, land 5, and slipped in endwise from the open ends of the casing as by sliding them in between the front retention flanges 20 and 21 and the spring clips .30, which clips yieldinp 'ly press the upper and lower margins of: the plate 2i against the flanges 20 and 21, and hold the plate and pane firmly in place and against vibration or rattling. It is to be understood, of course, that suitable packing pieces or kets may be employed if desired. The license plate 24 and plate 32, which may be of glass, non-breakable glass or other suitable transparent or translucent mat irl and of a size conforming; with the license plate are preterably disposed with their v *"tioal median portions on the Vert'cal media portion of the casing part 6. and the end portions 7 and 8 are then brought up on the ends of the license plate and clamped firmly and securely to the intermediate casing part 6 by the wing nuts or bolts 36. The flanges 22 with the flanges 20 and 21 form a marginal retention fian e about the entire marginal periphery of the license plate, giving a pleasing and fin indicated in Fig. 4.

' these ends 7' and 8 are moved in to accommodate the shorterplate. In this manner the length of the casing is conveniently adjusted to conform with license plates or signs of different lengths, properly and pleasingly conforming with all pl.ateswithout any plate extension in one instance or box or casing'extension in anotherinstance. Therefore the present device is not only adapted for holding and displaying plates of different sizes but actually conforms the lamp, box or casing to the size of the'plate with an accompanyin advantageous utilization of the light rays through the plate in all positions of adjustment of the device. 7 1

Vhere the device isto be used, for example, at the front of the vehicle andwithout any provision for holding and displaying the city license. for example, or other plates the top of the intermediate box or casing portion 6 may be extended straight across as indicated at 110 in Fig. 13. 7 Where the device is to be used at the rear of the vehicle a. combination stop and tail light is preferably embodied as a unitary part I of the license plate holder and display device asshow'nin Figs; 1 to 8. Where the tail and stop light structure is combined as a unit with the license plate holder and display device the lower flange of the casing or box portion 6 is formed integral with the bottom wall 11 but the upperflange 21 may be Whollyor partially removable and may constitute an in tegral part of the removable front portion 42- for the upperfstop and tail light compartk 'ments 43 and 44. e The top 10 of the box or easing 5 has in this case an upwardly extending, centrally disposed and generally rounded portion '45. the back of which may be closed by an upward extension of the back wall 9 as The removable front 42 is provided with an inwardly'directed marginal flange 46 conforming with the upwardly rounded portion of the casing and overlapping same as indicated at 47 in'Fig. 4 and secured thereto as by means of screws 48. The opposite ends'of the removable cover'42may extend out sufficiently to be overlapped or telescopedby the adjustable ends 7 and 8', and the inturned marginal' flange 46 may extend along the top 10 of the box-like casing to the cndsof the removable wall 42 and may be similarly secured to the top wall 10.

The front of the removable plate 42 is provided with two semi-circular openings 50 and 51 separated-by an integral cross strip 52, the

opening 50 being at the'front of the stop light compartment 43 and the opening 51 at the front of the tail light compartment 44 with 1 the strip 52 extending horizontally across the front of the dividing partition between said compartments. v

The opening 50 is closed by a semi-circular pane of glass or other suitable transparent or translucent material; which pane is indicated at 58. The pane 53is preferably green oi-some other distinctive color and may be provided with the word Stop asindicated. The underlying opening 51 is covered or closed by a pane 54 also of glass or other suitable transparent or translucent material, and this pane 54 is preferably red to convey a tail light indication in accordance with the re-' quirements as well understood in the art. Marginally the panes 53' and 54 are reduced to fit in the openings 50 and 51 and to provide retention flanges 57 interlocking internally with the inner margins of the strip 52 and plate 42 and an annular ring 58 removably secured to the removable front plate 42 as by means of screws59 removably holds the panes and 54 in place. The ring 58 is offset or reset at 60 to receive the adjacent retention flanges 57 of the panes 53 and 5.4, as shown in Fig. 4. It will now be apparent that convenient access to either or both of the eom-'v partments 43 and 44 may be had byremoving thescrews or securing means 48 and then removing the removable front wall or plate'42 and that either or both panes or'lenses 53, 54 may be removed or replaced by removing the screws 59 which releases the ring 58 and permits removal of the panes.

@bviously by removing the plate 42 the panes 58 and 5 4' and clamping ring 58 may bereplaced and held in place from the rear while the screwsorother fastening elements 59 ll'G'l11S8ltCl, and uponreplacmg the panes and 54 the plate 42 with thepanes 53 and 54 and ring 58 asa unitary part thereofmay be conveniently replaced and secured by the screws 48/ For the purpose of mounting or attaching the device to the vehicle the back Wall 9 of the casing 5 isiprovided with asuitable at taching or mounting means designated genorally at 62. This attaching or mounting means 62comprises a. pair of'metallic straps 63 each preferably of liberal Width and adapted to encircle or surround the support or bracket '64. being preferably sufficiently springy or yielda-ble to be bound or clamped firmly to the member 64. The free ends of the straps 63 are brought together at 65 and clamped to the bac-k of the'casing 5 as bynuts 6?. The bolts66 firmly fasten the straps 63 to the stationary intermediate part. 6 of the casing, and it is tobe understood that the support 64imay be a suitable rod or bracket secured to the vehicle for supporting the present unit. The support 64L while shown of circular and tubule-Ir section may, of course, be solid and oil any other configuration.

ll hile already pointed out the panes 53 and 5e are preferably of glass, these panes may, of course be of mica, celluloid or other suitable material and it is to be understood that the use of unbreakable glass is contem plea ted throughout the entire unit. The pane 22 may lllCGWlSQ be 01': ordinary glass, un-

ble glass, celluloid or other suitable mzlreri l anl this pane 32 is preferably of a color och is different than the color oi the we plate 2 and which will contrast with the numerals and i stand out clearly and all. not only when the m it is lighted ll hile l contemplate the omission of any internal reflectors in which case the compartments 43 and is may be divided by a suitable partition while the an r surfaces of all compartments and the elescoping ends be highly plated and polished to form table reflectors, in the embodiment illusted the n ain or stationary compartment 6 is provided internally with a reflector 70. ac reflector '20 which is shown in detail in big. 8 constitutes the reflector of the vevice. T his reflector has lateral ctrten ons 72 which are concave or rounded rearwardly about a common horizontal axis 1nd extending upwardly irom the lntermediportion or" the upper margin and-between [he lateral extensions 72 is a concave reector pocket 73 opening downwardly at 74 o the main or horizontal cross pocket of the e'liector. The forwardly extending rim 75 'orers the top and sides of: the upright repouch the bottom of which is open .o the main cross pocket, the opposite ends hich are covered at top and bottom by the forwardl curving margins 76. The length 'lrom cit l to end of the lateral. Xtensious 72 is substantially the same'as the length of the main casing; part 6, and the upwardly extending pocket defines the tail 1 ant compartment 4:4-

with the upper edge of ends and at the top and bottonn the curvature or roimding from top to bottom contorn'iing' with the curvature or rounding of thelateral extension 76 and the inner open ends 81 rea wardly overlapping the lateral extensions 72 and having); telescopic or sliding cooperation therewith so that when the ends 7 and 8 are :rtended or retracted the reflector ends will be extended or retracted therewith to correspondingly increase or decrease the lengths of the lateral reflector extensions. The adjustable reflectors 80 by constitute the telescoping reflector ends and these ends may be welded or otherwise rigidly secu ed within the caslng" ends 7 and 8, or may be left free by not being fastened, the rear walls of the rel'le tor ends iced "from the back walls of the 3 for T and 8 as shown in l b one I no or telescopic engagement between the haclc wal. 9 of the stationary cae part (3 and the back of the'stationary reflector '50. lhe particular contours of the reflectors may. of course, be varied as desire l.

e upper stoplight compartment is pro vided withand deli ied by a rearwardly coin cave and roumled and forwardly open rencctor 85 having: the bottom of its forward gin suitably secured at 86 to the top of the uuripiit reflector portion 73, as s-zho'n 'n in Fig. v

The source oi illumination or light or the license plate and tail light pane (A is pro!"- erably in the form of a single incandmcent lamp 87, although a number of lamps could be employed, which may be disposed at the focal point of the semi-cylindrical contour of the reflector TO and centrally between the. opposite ends of the reflector 70 as well as centrally beneath the upright reflector portion 73.

The electric lamp 87 is detachably supported by a socket 88 suitably mounted in the back wall of the stationary casing part 3 with one end extending into the casing, and the ther end exposed from the rear thereof. The conductors 89 for supplying the lamp 8? connect the lamp in the usual lighting: cir

of the vehicle which is ordinarily pro ..a l with a suitable switch for turning on the lighting circuit at night and for turning the same oil during the day. The conductors 8.) may have a snitable connector 90 for quick chable connection with the-socket 88 or connector or ptor thereon. The single electric lamp 8? forms a common source V l minating the license plate 24; a for convey the tail light indication through the pane 54, the rays of li 'lit iii" in the lamp 87 being effectively diilused through the numeral and other openings 25 26 and 27,

and being; effectively spread through the latl extensions 7 and adjustable reflector s 80 as well as up into the reflector por- .n T and reflected and directed uniformly iind over the back of the entire license plate and uniformly through the tail light pane 54. I

The upper compartment 43 is separately lighted or illuminated by an electric lamp 92 having quick detachable support and electric connection as upon a suitable spring clip 93. The spring clip 93 or other electrical connection for the lamp 92 is supplied through a suitable conductor 94 which may be in the form of a thin metallic strip or ribbon extending along the upright reflector portion 75 and suitably insulated therefrom.

The lower end of the conductor 94 may be suitably connected through the socket opening for the socket 88 with a conductor forming a part of the conductor 89 and of course insulated from the conductors supplying the justable casing ends 7 and 8 are omitted and the stationary casing part 6 is provided with integral closed ends 96 and 98. I, In this case the entire front 100 is hinged along the lower margin of the front of the box 6 at 102 and 103 to be swung into open position as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 11. The particular hinged front 100 shown comprises a generally rectangular frame portion 104 having the surrounding flange 105 corresponding to the flanges 20, 21 and 22 of the previous embodiment, and the rearwardly directed flange 106 which telescopes over the inset front margin 108 of the generally rectangular and open frontbox 6' and is hinged along its lower margin at 102 and 103 to the adjacent lower margin of box 61 Screws or other suitable fastening elements 110 secure the cover in closed position and merely by removingthe screws the entire cover may be swung about the hinges 102 and 103 for quickand convenient access to the entire inside of the device. Where the tail and stop light provisions of the previous embodiment are combined with the device the top of the box and the top of the cover are provided with the upright extensions 112 and 113, as before, and the tail and stop light panes 54' and 53' may be cletachably secured to the upwardly raised portion of the cover. by screws 59 and ring 58,

as before. In this case the adjustable or telescoping reflector extensions 80 are also omitted, and the generally semi-cylindrical main reflector "portions are provided'with integral rounded or concave ends 115. Other; wise the reflector 75' is substantially the same combination ;tail and} or frect as the nfielde 10 of t e. Pre ious .em o i ment, being provided with the uprighttail i ht efle o p nies? he refl ct i1',8

s-s s ena the. same a ei eflectansa the nr izieu emb di en Th moun ing m a s leer-be e 'fi 'se ibed n conne tion vithtbeiii-ensue.em i n ana e s gl f e y refl e e f r ,tl'ieilir nse Pla inst nt-11am DQ 1 54 :nl y IQ m unted wit iuthe c sing asbeforeor otherw se as; des red.

2 P at 2. am. ns ucentort ans- Parent inns ar e i thehi ee y th sp ine l ps Welded-.0 .o h iv s astene i hee whinse Po i n' Th Sing esl st le ip' .ifor i umi t ng th en e .i'zle endy e i light p ne is nd ca e I an the la p for the s op b eren light conn' artment .isgind icated; at-92 as before .ite ng understoodthatjthe stop light compartment be p'rovided with arefi'ed tor as lefo re, and tha fihclamps-may be mounted and connected as in the previous embodiment. I

here the deviceisused the front of the vehicle the t l step ll -ghteem bi-nation a be emitte n icated in Fig- 1 i stop light compartee marber nlece .Witha s ng r l n lar tempe ame e di pl y n the er he li e i I ,InFig. lathe device is'shown aslprouided "titheependinee iu d r yine"support a d splay compartment 125 for supporting and displaying theeity licensepl-at'e, for example, and with agenerally rectangular overlying compartment 1 1126 ,for theiname or make of the machine or any other desired designation. v

15 the overlying and underlying" In Fig. supporting and display compartments 126 and 125 are both circular and substantially alike, one, for example, for. the city plate and one for professional insignia or the like.

In the embodiment of Fig. 16 the overlying compartment 129 is substantially like the compartment .126 of Fig. 1 1 and the main license plate supporting and display compartment 128 is provided beyond each of its opposite ends with suitable supporting and display compartments 130.

The device illustrated stantially like the device of Fig. 16 with the exception that the overlying generally rectangular compartment 128 of Fig. 16 is i omitted. I

The device of Fig. 18 is substantially like the device of Fig. 16 with theexception that the generally rectangularsupporting and display compartment 132- underlies or is arranged below the main license plate support ing and display compartment 133' which is provided beyond its opposite ends with the supporting and display compartments 134..

It is to be understood that all of the above may be made with telescoping ends or as sta- Y ic e.pleter efe sion i signia r in Fig. 17 is sub f tion disposed centrally tionary integral units, and that various changes and modifications are contemplated.

I claim:

A license and rear light unit comprising a T-shaped lainp box having a vertical -porof its horizontal portion, said lamp box having an open front and the horizontal portion having also open'ends, extensible end sections fitting over the open ends of the horizontal section of said box, said end sections having open fronts and ends in registration with the open portions of said box and closed ends opened thereto, a reflector shaped substantially as a quadrant of a sphere disposed at the top of the vertical portion of said box, said reflector dividing oil? a portion of that box to form a stop light coin trtrnent, a, T-shaped send-cylindrical re- :i'lector disposed in the T-section of said box, said reflector having open ends registering with the open ends of the box and a closed end registering with one side of said spherical reflector, an end reflector section disposed in each end section of the box and having an open end registering with the open end of the T-refiector and a rounded closed end registering with the closed end of the section, a stop l ght plate fitted into the open front of said first reflector, a license plate fitted over the openiront of the horizontal part and end sections of said second reflector, a rear light plate fitted over the openfront of the vertical part 01'' said second reflector, and a single lamp for lighting said license plate and rear light plate;

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 1st day of October, 1928.

ANDBEVV G. JAEaINSKl".. 

